11 September 2017 - A Canadian doctor working in Australia has witnessed how its national drug plan, despite its flaws, is an excellent model for Canada. Obtaining better access for Canadians to essential medications is within reach.

Last week, I saw a new patient in my family practice in Australia: a 55-year-old man who was recently discharged from hospital after a heart attack. His story is a familiar one. He has never been on medications before, and as an industrial cleaner, has no private insurance. He was started on five new medications considered essential after a heart attack.

Because he lives in Australia, the cost of these medications is heavily subsidised. In Canada, he simply could not have afforded treatment. Canada is the only high-income country with a single-payer health-care system that does not include a universal drug plan.

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